In the building industry, base plates are often used for fixing cables, pipes, ducts and other pieces of this type to a support.
A base plate for attaching a cable comprises, for example, a means of supporting the cable and means of attaching the plate to the support.
To attach the base plate to the support, a nailing device which is fitted with a fastener-guide is generally used, the end of which is joined with the base plate, for instance by driving the end of the fastener-guide into a cutout made to receive it in the base plate.
For safety reasons, the nailing device has a safety system which prevents fastener firing without first pressing the nailing device against a fixing support.
There is however a risk of unlocking the safety system while uniting a base plate and the end of the nailing device""s fastener guide, through axial pressure (that is, in the direction of the fastener-guide axis) of the end of the fastener-guide against the base plate. Under these conditions, the nailing device may be pulled into support and firing position without being pressed against a support.
The invention aims to overcome the problem described above.
The invention concerns a method for setting a base plate for fastening a piece to a support, with the aid of a fastener fixing tool fitted with a fastener-guide, during which the base plate and the end of the fastener-guide are firmly fixed together, the base plate is placed against the support and it is fixed there by means of a fastener, the method being characterised by the fact that the base plate and the end of the fastener-guide are firmly united through relative movement of the base plate and the end of the fastener-guide, the one in relation to the other, in a plane perpendicular to the fastener-guide axis.
This means that, in order to unite the base plate and the end of the fastener-guide, axial pressure force is no longer exerted, but rather radial force, such that the risk of unlocking the safety system is avoided. In addition, as a result of this invention, it is possible to reduce the minimum effort required to move the fixing tool into a supported position. Operator fatigue is reduced this way, for example by setting a base plate against a ceiling with one hand.
The relative movement of the base plate and the end of the fastener-guide may be a translatory motion, preferably a rectilinear translatory motion.
It is advantageous to firmly attach the end of the fastener-guide and the base plate by a snap fit.
The invention also concerns a tool for carrying out the method defined above, comprising a fastener-guide adapted to be firmly fixed to the base plate, characterized by the fact that, with the base plate being a male part for firm attachment to the end of the fastener-guide, the fastener-guide has a lateral and axial slot for the passage of the base plate.
The invention further concerns a tool for carrying out the method comprising a fastener-guide adapted to be firmly fixed to the base plate, characterised by the fact that, with the base plate being a female part for firm attachment to the end of the fastener-guide, the fastener-guide is fitted with means for locking onto the base plate.
The means for locking onto the base plate comprise an exterior annular groove to receive a clamp for snap fitting onto the base plate.